Katie and Jacob’s elopement adventure in Big Sur was one of my favorite days ever. I probably say that about every session or wedding but I really do love each day I’m apart of for so many unique reasons. This was actually my third time photographing these two — I took their engagement photos in Sedona at Cathedral Rock and I photographed their wedding ceremony with family after they decided to switch their plans up due to the pandemic — so it felt like meeting up with old friends to hang out and explore together and that’s basically what we did! Even though they had already gotten legally married, they still wanted a day for just the two of them to spend in a beautiful location and take photos.

They got ready together at Loma Vista Gardens, which was originally their wedding venue (pre-pandemic-plan change) and from there we drove around hitting some of Big Sur’s must see spots and a few other little hidden gems.

First up was McWay Falls! I don’t normally take photos here because it’s limited on space and usually pretty crowded but we decided to stop because they’ve never seen it before and I actually love how the photos I took came out! Next, we found a nice little redwood grove to incorporate the foresty aspect of Big Sur into their day. I learned from a park ranger that the larger, more majestic redwoods in California can be found more north up the coast, but I still think these ones are really pretty and they offer a quieter, calmer space than the roaring coast.

After hanging out in the woods for a little bit, we drove over to Pfeiffer Beach where Katie and Jacob changed into a more casual outfit and we spent maybe 5 minutes taking photos because the wind was CRAZY and we all got really cold lol. Since our plan was to end the day with sunset on the coast in northern Big Sur we decided to go ahead and drive that way and made a pit-stop at the iconic Bixby Creek Bridge. This is another spot I usually don’t recommend because of crowds, but we got so lucky! I also found out that there are some really nice spots to view the bridge from the back and the photos I took here are actually some of my favorites from the whole day. So happy we decided to stop here.

And last, but not least, what most people come to Big Sur for — the coastal trails and cliffs. Although it ended up being a cloudy evening (despite being super sunny earlier in the day) and we didn’t get to see one of Big Sur’s epic sunsets, it was still such a beautiful spot to end a fun and adventurous day! I don’t think we ran into anyone else here and honestly the coast is breathtaking no matter the weather. We spent a little time taking some final couples photos and then Katie and Jacob popped some champagne to wrap things up. Overall, I couldn't be happier with how these photos came out and the best part of it all was getting to spend the day with these two sweet people. ♥

Dress: Rue De Seine Bridal

Hair and Makeup: Kiyomi Sanada

Here’s what Katie & Jacob shared about their experience working with me:

“Getting married right out of college, we were very nervous about spending any amount of money on a photographer given the numerous expenses of a wedding. After spending so long just worrying about NEEDS instead of WANTS, paying a photographer seemed like a low priority. When my wife, Katie, convinced me that Carrie was the exception to this perspective I doubted her - at first. I saw Carries unparalleled photography work and new she had talents not many possessed, and I agreed to take a risk on an expense I didn't fully believe in.

Fast forward to the three occasions on which we took photos with Carrie, and I have to say that looking back these were some of the best experiences of the ever stressful wedding planning/preparation process - even in the midst of the seemingly endless disappointments brought on by Covid. Of course, Carrie has great skill, is a wonderful photographer, offers really competitive pricing, is flexible and easy to work with / coordinate with, and is exceptionally professional; however, the hallmark attribute of Carrie is her heart and soul. Despite spending only a few hours of our lives together taking photos, Carrie somehow became a true friend and person I highly respect and care about. She made us extremely comfortable and thus made it so easy to really buy into the experience and show the essence of who we are as we got photographed.

It isn't typical that you want to invite your wedding photographer over to hang out the next time she is in the area, but I have to say I think this is the norm for Carrie. When you hire her to be your photographer, you dont just get a wonderful work-product, you get a fast friend! Thanks for everything Carrie!”